Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 09/08/2026
(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) presents The Unwitting Magician on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 7:00pm. Is it a play? Sort of. Is it a reading? Kind of. Is it a magic show? Sure. With a magician? Definitely not.
The Unwitting Magician, created by playwright and director Jeremy Dobrish, defies every category you try to put it in, and that is precisely the point. It comes to SOPAC for one night only on September 16, and it is unlike anything else you will see this year.
What Actually Happens: A lone actor steps onto a bare stage. On a music stand sits a sealed manila envelope containing a script they have truly never seen. As they read it aloud for the very first time, impossible things begin to occur. The performer is swept into a whirlwind of genuine feats and playful surprises, becoming an unwitting magician before your eyes, with no idea what is coming next or how any of it works. The magic is real. The surprise is genuine.
The Question That Stays With You: The Unwitting Magician raises genuine questions about free will, manipulation, and the nature of performance itself, questions the audience will still be turning over long after the curtain falls. This is not a novelty act. It is intellectually serious theater that happens to contain moments of stunning wonder.
One Night, One Actor, Gone Forever: The performer does the show once and never does it again. That is not a limitation; it is the engine of the piece. Every production is genuinely fresh, a new actor, a new audience, a new experience that will never exist in quite this way again. What you see on September 16 will never be repeated.
It just might be the most different and fascinating time you spend in a theater.
September 16’s performance is unwittingly in the hands of Maplewood’s own Becky Gulsvig.
For more information or to purchase tickets, click here. South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is located at One SOPAC Way in South Orange, New Jersey.
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Melissa Etheridge: RISE
Wednesday, September 09, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ
Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Melissa Etheridge (“I’m the Only One” “Come to My Window,” “I Want to Come Over.”) has remained one of America’s favorite female singers since bursting onto the scene in 1988. Etheridge performs songs from her new album, Rise, and her hits.
Dion
Thursday, September 10, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ
Dion and his music have long represented a special time and place, reflective of a moment when a song could mean so much. When a singer could sum up what it means to be young, in love and on top of the world. Dion is more than a cherished memory as critic Dave Marsh noted, “Dion is the only artist from the 1950’s who has remained creative and relevant into the 2000s.” In 1958 he had three top-forty hits. In 2008 he was nominated for a Grammy. In 2020, is releasing new studio album Blues with Friends, joined by Joe Bonamassa, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons and many other rock luminaries. In the ’50s he was one of a handful of innovators who defined rock ‘n’ roll and that’s still very much the case.
EVENT PREVIEWS
MPAC presents Melissa Etheridge: The Rise Tour on September 9th
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Melissa Etheridge ("I'm the Only One," "Come to My Window," and "I Want to Come Over" to name a few) has remained one of America's favorite female singers since bursting onto the scene in 1988. Etheridge brings her Rise tour to Mayo Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 7:30pm.
Cape May Stage presents "Your Name Means Dream"
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Cape May Stage presents Your Name Means Dream from September 9 through October 18, 2026. Directed by Roy Steinberg, this is a lyrical and thought-provoking new play by José Rivera that follows Aislin, an aging woman whose world is transformed when she is paired with Stacy, an advanced AI caregiver designed to anticipate her every need.
Zimmerli Art Museum Highlights Rutgers' Historic Role in U.S.-Japan Exchange
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The latest exhibition at the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University-New Brunswick traces the cultural exchange between Japan and the United States starting from the mid-19th century to the present. The exhibition runs from September 9 through February 14, 2027.
Watercolor Artist Theresa Troise Heidel Returns to Ridgefield Park Library for Second Art Exhibit and Fundraiser
(RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ) -- Watercolors of sun-soaked New Jersey beaches, historic Asbury Park boardwalks, French countryside, and blooming florals will be on view this September at the Ridgefield Park Public Library, as the Friends of the Library once again welcome artist Theresa Troise Heidel for a solo exhibit and fundraiser open to art lovers near and far, with proceeds benefiting library programs. The exhibit will remain on view through September 30, 2026.
Nostalgia Takes The Stage at MPAC this September with shows by Dion, Herman's Hermits Starring Peter Noone, and The Rascals
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Three of the 1960s' most popular artists take the Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) stage in September. From the classic doo wop sounds of Dion, to the bouncy pop of British Invasion faves Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone to classic American hitmakers The Rascals, MPAC will reverberate with the sounds, hits and memories of the 1960s.
McCarter's Season Continues with Julio Torres and Edmar Castañeda Quartet
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center's new season continues with comedian Julio Torres on Thursday, September 10 at 8:00pm, followed by the Edmar Castañeda Quartet on Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 7:30pm
Bell Theater at Bell Works presents "Come From Away" to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11
(HOLMDEL, NJ) -- Bell Theater at Bell Works presents the Tony Award-Winning Musical Come From Away from September 11 through October 4, 2026. Discover the remarkable true story of the small town that welcomed the world.
Somerset Valley Players present "The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood"
(HILLSBOROUGH, NJ) -- Somerset Valley Players present The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood by Mary Lynn Dobson weekends from September 11-27, 2026. Get ready for a fast‑paced, side‑splitting spoof of the legendary outlaw you almost remember!
Skyline Theatre Company presents "The Guys" by Anne Nelson
(BLOOMFIELD, NJ) -- Skyline Theatre Company presents The Guys by Anne Nelson at the Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center from September 11-12, 2026. As we honor the 25th anniversary of 9/11, The Guys is a poignant, true-story-inspired drama.
Art House Productions presents "Creation from Destruction"
(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Art House Productions presents Creation from Destruction, a group exhibition celebrating Art House's 25th Anniversary at the Art House Gallery from Friday, September 11 through Sunday, October 25, 2026. This exhibition is part of JC Fridays.
